Work Scene with That Yellow Place

Updated: Feb 15, 2019

Tucked away on the outskirts of the Scenic Rim is the small town of Peak Crossing, hiding a little gem called That Yellow Place. It’s not hard to see why. With a bright yellow exterior, this quaint little box of sunshine is home to restoration extraordinaire, Gail. From a hobby turned to business, Gail spends her days bringing old pieces of furniture and nic-nacs back to fruition or giving scrap a new lease on life.

Opened in November 2017, Gail bought a little bit of lemon-coloured zest into the country. Coming from a background of doing up furniture, she attended a course at Redcliffe run by the owner of Canterbury Blue Furniture Paint and on her first day of the course, managed to win ‘piece of the day’. After attending an advanced class about flipping furniture, Gail even managed to unintentionally sell her recently completed wine rack to a fellow student on the day. “I got to take home nothing, but that’s what sort of made me think, you know what, this might be alright.”

With her house filling up and her husband left wondering if he was going to have dinner at the dinner table because the dining area was full, Gail realised she needed to expand her dream with a little confidence. The shop soon came about after displaying an opening soon sign on it for months and when it never opened, Gail approached the owner and negotiated a lease.

“I got things together and started sourcing some homewares places, wholesalers and rustic items. Now, I just source everywhere. If I could drive to Melbourne to pick up something I would but it’s not practical.” she explains.

Originally from Victoria, Gail moved to Queensland in 1982, got married and had children. Always finding eclectic pieces, her house never matched. After living around the bottom of Tamborine Mountain, Gail and Rob came out to look at a little cottage in Radford out of Harrisville, fell in love with it and purchased it on the day. Now renovating her little railway cottage surrounded by nothing but farming, she tries to do a couple of pieces a week.

“I’ll look at it for a little bit and think about what I’m going to do. Sometimes I even find a bit of timber. Rob went fishing and found a bit of wood and that’s what he came home with. No fish, but a piece of wood. I put this piece near the TV for a week and I thought, now I know what I’m going to do with it. We made a light out of it and it now hangs above the dining table. It’s got four beautiful vintage bulbs in it and it’s held up by chains.”

While finding it difficult to let pieces go, Gail still holds onto some of her most treasured pieces.

Gail’s long-term plan is to eventually purchase That Yellow Place and put in a coffee nook with rustic tables and chairs and a large wrap-around verandah to feature her furniture on the front deck. “I’ve actually drawn it all up. I’d still call it That Yellow Place but focus not so much on a big lunch, but a place to stop for coffee. Those are my plans all drawn up in my book of ideas”.

Gail is happy to admit that she loves the people she’s met. “They are amazing and keep coming back. Even if it’s just to bring a coffee or to say hello.” So while you’re out her way next, drop into her quirky shop of eclectic homewares for a good old fashioned yarn and take home a little piece of That Yellow Place.